Jul 8, 2021 filed under Living Virtue.

Closest moment father daughter at beach

An accountability buddy is a must-have when you want to build a new habit or keep an old commitment fresh. Especially for things that are easy to slip-and-slide on, like exercise or a prayer schedule. Or visiting your Aunt Millie in the nursing home.

I meet with my buddy once a week by phone when we share with each other how successful we were in doing our part to stay close to God – and how, if we slipped up a bit, we could do better this week.

Surprise question
She surprised me by asking: What was your closest moment? She meant what was your closest moment with God this week?

Well, I had a doozy to share with her. I had felt shut out and rejected by people whom I respect and whom I thought were respectful. In those awful moments I felt cast into outer darkness. Then, in my imagination, Jesus approached, put his arms around me and asked:

“Don’t you know that you are not theirs, you are mine?”

…Yes, Lord, but I forgot. In the moments that followed, the deep sharing in his own rejection and pain caused the pain in me to be swallowed up by indescribable joy and closeness to his love. Thinking back on it, I can’t remember how the pain felt but I remember the joy very clearly. It’s joy that is eternal; pain is passing away.

So often, we can glide through our days and weeks feeling lonely and frustrated, as if God had forgotten about us. Or we feel rushed and empty – and we know it’s because we haven’t prayed.

Happy woman with hands over heart

Time to reconnect
Think back to your closest moment last week. It may be one that you didn’t think was grace-filled at the time, but you can see it now that it was. Remembering our closest moment reconnects us with how easy it is to cast the eyes of our soul to God and receive the help he’s offering at this moment. And to remember that if he seems far away, it’s we who have moved. Our reconnection is just a heartbeat away.

Feeling distant from God can be distressing. Sometimes we feel like our prayer life has gone stale and we’re not sure how to get it back. I’d love to offer you a hand if your prayer life is in a rut. Click here to learn more about my exciting new offering that is guaranteed to get your prayer life back on track.

Love always,
Rose

 

7 Responses to “What Was Your Closest Moment?”

  1. Sharon

    Rose,
    Thanks for sharing, very helpful! Earlier in the week, I felt God had whispered a new perspective on a troubling situation that had happened many years ago. It’s been a gift.

    Those matching dresses were cute! My Mom would also outfit my younger sister and me.

    Blessings,
    Sharon

    • Joyce Miles

      Hi
      Speaking to God to help me bring comfort to a very good friend that was hurting deeply inside.
      He did their is peace in my friend valley.
      Thanks for Sharing Rose
      Bless Week to you.

  2. Barbara Ballard Kreutzer

    Lovely, much needed reminders – both, “Don’t you know that you are not theirs, you are mine?” and the dresses!

  3. Rosie

    Dear Rose, Thank you for all the work you are doing to bring us closer to our Lord, and His Blessed Mother, Mary. I pray daily that if it is in God’s mercy, my daughter may be healed. She is currently in ICU with new blood clots in her heart and lungs. They are hoping the IV drip may dissolve them, otherwise she will need surgery. She is so brave and has such a sweet heart. I don’t know God’s plan for her life. He has taught me He is in control and to believe it is for our good. I have learned how important it is to pray, to accept life’s trials, and try to understand He is preparing us to get to Heaven. God bless us all.

    • Suzanne Landis

      Rosie, I admire your trust in the Lord’s plans for your daughter. He is truly a gracious God! You and your daughter are being lifted up in prayer right now.

  4. liz

    My closest moment to Jesus was when I was in so much pain I couldn’t sit or stand. The ER doctor finally said we need to do surgery now. After two years of suffering, finally, I believe this surgery may take care of me and I am praising Jesus and the Holy Spirit for falling afresh on me again and again.

  5. Tom Roberts

    I had a closest and most distant moment during the same mass today. A parishioner’s cellphone rang three times, a loud and jangling ring. Then our new director of music and liturgy, Catherine Henderson, sang the recessional at the piano so beautifully that people stayed to listen. An elderly parishioner was so moved that he went up to tell her in the middle of her performance. She stopped and asked his name; no matter, she picked right up again. His kindness, her kindness.